1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for displaying images.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the prevalence of digital still cameras and digital video cameras, there are increased occasions where still images or moving images having been shot are stored in a computer for later viewing, processing, or displaying on the screen of a game device or a television system. It is also popularly done that the shot moving images are uploaded to a posting site on the Internet so as to share them with the other users.
Among the digital cameras are those capable of shooting panoramic images, which allow the image taking of panoramic images of wide view angle with perfect ease. Also in wide use are software tools that can generate a panoramic image by stitching together a plurality of images shot by a digital camera from different shooting directions.
There is a site named “360cities” (http://www.360cities.net) that accepts the posting of panoramic images shot by users and show them on the Internet, so that the users around the world can view the panoramic images posted.
If the panoramic image is a still image, there may be cases where a user wishes to supply moving images to part of objects captured in the panoramic image, instead of the still image. For example, consider that the panoramic image of a night view is shot. Though the still image of such a night view as a panoramic image looks lovely enough for the viewing, a sense of reality and its actual beauty may be further gained if moving images are used and the user can see how the illumination of some buildings goes on and off, for instance. Also, an active feeling can be added to the panoramic image if the moving images of a moving object are shot. Further, when an overall scenery is looked at through the panoramic image and then an object of interest is viewed in detail by focusing on the object, provision of moving images to such a panoramic image may result in gathering much information.